Drop Dates vs Locked Contract | Virtual Assistant for Photographers

One of the things I go over with you when we first speak on the phone is drop dates vs being locked in for a certain length of time on services together. As a virtual assistant for photographers, I have seen both business models commonly used, and I wanna break down what they mean!

What are drop dates vs locked length of time on your contract?

When you’re hiring a service provider to come into your business and help you run a certain aspect of it (blogging, social media management etc) - it’s a good idea to ask how things work if you need to cancel or change services.

We all know business needs change, and sometimes you have to switch things up. And you don’t want to be in a position where you cannot maneuver the way you want to for an extended period of time.

Does your service provider have a set length of time you are contractually obligated to work with them?

This a great question to ask when interviewing service providers.

I once worked with a photographer who was previously locked in for a year with a Pinterest manager, and she was unhappy with the services. She wasn’t seeing results, the communication was poor, and she was ready for a change. But she was basically running out the clock on their contracted time together because the length of contract was one year.

As someone who used to be a photographer, and then pivoted to VA work - I decided early on, that I did not want anyone to feel “locked in” to our work together. While I do believe that giving services time to grow momentum is an important part of outsourcing - I also never want my clients to feel trapped.

So here’s what we do at The Focus Co:

We use drop dates!

That means that when you start working with us, there is a 3 month minimum commitment. This addresses the need to establish a workflow together and allow you to see the changes within your business. Once that 3 month time frame has elapsed, your services are either on a 30 or 60 day drop date basis (depending on the service you have). This allows you to maneuver your business as you see fit for each season, and adapt to the changing needs. While still providing me, as the service provider, a chance to plan ahead for any changes.

Win win.

As small business owners, I know it’s important that we respect each other’s time and resources while also building something together. The small minimum time commitment upfront allows our clients to experience the change of pace that comes with hiring a virtual assistant and get your feet under you in this new experience. And it allows us time to show you how much easier things can be when you delegate!

And then the drop date respects both of our time, and keeps everyone on the same page.

That’s how we handle drop dates vs. locked contract here at The Focus Co.